Thursday, March 26, 2009

I spent a good bit of last week working on a story on how Georgia prepares its recruits for learning "The Georgia Way" that ran in Tuesday's paper. You can read the complete story HERE, and get the extras HERE. In doing the reporting, however, I got to chat for a while with future Bulldogs tight end Arthur Lynch, which I must say was a real pleasure. First, it's always good to hear another Yankee accent from time to time. Secondly, Lynch presents himself like a first-class guy.

While I'm sure I'll be quoting him liberally once he gets here, I figured I'd take the time to ask him a few more questions so all you Bulldogs fans could get an early peek at what you're getting when the Dartmouth, Mass. native arrives in Athens this summer...David Hale: You're down to your final few months of high school before you head a long way away from home for four years at Georgia. How do you balance trying to enjoy those final days with your friends back home with trying to prepare for what's ahead?

Arthur Lynch: The kids I've grown up with, I've known them my entire life. We used to play backyard football and baseball. We're real close, and it's going to be real tough when I leave, so I like to spend as much time as possible with them. But when I'm not out with them, I'm working out and getting ready and being prepared. I'm just trying to enjoy it, but at the same time keep things in perspective. I have a bigger goal ahead of me.

DH: Beyond the basics of just getting to Athens and finding your way around, what are your goals for once you arrive?

AL: I'd love to see the field next year, so that's the focus on my mind. Sept. 4 is the date with Oklahoma State, and hopefully I'll be able to travel with the team and play in the game. That's what's on my mind. I've got to leave May 30 but then I have to come back and give a speech as class president, so that's always in the back of my mind. I'm going to miss it, but at the same time, I can't wait for college. It's going to be a fun time.

DH: Is there an NFL player who you think your game closely resembles?

AL: I think my game resembles a Heath Miller from the Steelers, a guy who can flex out if he absolutely wants to, but he just makes a living coming off the line and going through the linebackers and being able to get open -- strong hands and strong receiving skills, but he can also block, a well-balanced athlete.

DH: And who's your favorite NFL player?

AL: Growing up it was always Tom Brady. I'm fond of Tom Brady and Julius Peppers, but Brady is probably my favorite player. And Heath Miller and Todd Heap, one of those guys would be who I'd compare my game to.

DH: Massachusetts is obviously a pretty long way from Athens. What is it about the city and about the school that made you want to come here?

AL: The first time I didn't really get to see the city of Athens too much, but just stepping on campus, we had just come from Gainesville at the University of Florida -- me, my grandfather and my mom drove up to Athens -- and as soon as we got there, I was just like, 'Oh my gosh, I never thought this campus would be like this.' We drove to the stadium, and I saw Coach (John) Lilly coming down. He met us at the stadium. That was right then and there, I was like this is definitely one of the schools I'm going to consider. Then after I met with Coach (Mark) Richt that night, I was just like, 'I'm pretty sure this is where I want to go.'

DH: And how about Athens? Are you worried about getting acclimated in the South?

AL: When I visited the second time in August, I got a feel for it, and it's real laid back. I like it down there. I know it's a lot different from up here, and it's two completely different types of people, but I think I've got a pretty good personality for meeting new people, and I have a good time wherever I go. So I'm pretty excited.

DH: It sounds like you've got a lot on your plate right now, but what do you like to do with your free time?

AL: I love music. I want to take piano classes and stuff like that. I don't know why, but I've always listened to music. Also up here I'm kind of the team barber. So I kind of like doing that. I like playing pick-up basketball, just going down to the park and doing stuff like that.

DH: Well, you know before you get a chance to start cutting hair, it's tradition that the freshmen get their heads shaved, right?

AL: It's all good because my hair, I already get the two blade.

DH: Ah, OK. Well, you mentioned music, too. What do you tend to listen to?

AL: I listen to a lot of different stuff. A lot of it's rap, I love Tupac. His rap had a sense of purpose. It wasn't like this new stuff that a lot of it you just blow off. I really like Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Tupac. Their lyrics really have meaning in my eyes. I like to look up their lyrics and see what they're thinking.

DH: Since you're class president, let me ask you about school. What are your favorite and your least favorite classes?

AL: My worst class is probably science – chemistry or biology or something like that. My best two would be history and English. My favorite class is history, but I love to write. I could write all day. A lot of people say they hate writing, but if someone says you have to write an eight-page paper, I like to do it, especially like personal writing. I had an A.P. writing class last year, and I loved every second of it.

DH: A man after my own heart. Feel free to help me out with some writing any time you like. Well, I can't let a Boston-area guy off without asking you about the sports up there. Who's your favorite team -- Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots or Bruins?

AL: Ah, that's tough. I'd have to say either the Patriots or the Red Sox. I'm always wearing a Red Sox hat, and I watch every Patriots game. But to live up here, Boston, you've got to live and die for all of them. I've been to all four. It's expensive now, but growing up I've been to all of them. If you ever come to Boston when the Red Sox play or the Celtics play or the Patriots, it gets crazy. It gets loud and now that all four teams are doing well. Hopefully we can get Julius Peppers from the Panthers, and if we do, I'm predicting a Super Bowl whether Tom Brady's back or not.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Seth Emerson has been covering the SEC and Georgia (on and off) since 2002. He worked at the Albany Herald from 2002-05, then spent five years at The State in Columbia, S.C., covering South Carolina. He returned to Athens in August of 2010, only to find that David Pollack and David Greene were no longer playing for the Bulldogs. Adjustments were made. Emerson is originally from Silver Spring, Md., and graduated from Maryland in 1998 with a degree in journalism and a minor in getting lost on the way to practically everywhere. Then he spent four years at The Washington Post, covering small colleges, a couple NCAA basketball tournaments, and on one glorious day, was yelled at by Tony Kornheiser. It was probably at The Post that he also learned to write in the third person.These days he lives in Athens with his beloved and somewhat wimpy dog, Archie. Together they fight crime at night in northeast Georgia, except on nights there is no crime, in which case they sit at home, sip on white wine and watch reruns of "Mad Men."